Yuletide Challenge, the Advent Calendar, & Merry Dancer

The full title of today's Yuletide Challenge prompt is, "'Mom, this box is meowing.' Let's see those Christmas kitties!"

I don't have any Christmas kitties, but I do have lots of kitties!

Hagen Renaker's Glitter and Sparkle, a pudgy resin cat I bought because it was so doggone cute, and then a very tiny Hagen Renaker Persian kitten.

To give some perspective, here it is under Bouncer,

and with my hand. It's small, but next to Mighty Mouse and his mini me, it would be a giant.

Moving on to the the Twelve Days of Breyer advent calendar, this calendar has really grown on me. I got over my initial disappointment days ago, and have been enjoying opening a door each day. Here are days 7 - 9:

Thus far, I think Breyer has nailed those colors. 

I already know the color for the day, but the mold is a surprise. That's working for me.

I actually gasped when I opened this piece. It's a perfect replica of the early palomino Five Gaiter's color.

And that tail sure looks chalky to me.

I am not a fan of the Malik mold, but again, Breyer nailed that old red roan coloring.

I have changed my mind completely about this advent calendar, and if Breyer does a new one in the future, I'd buy it.

Finally, the rumors proved to be true and Breyer's Christmas Surprise horse is Strapless.

What a shame that some got out of the factory in China and were posted online, spoiling everyone's surprise.

Is that what prompted Breyer to release them mid December instead of December 25? Or is it possible that there is another surprise for us on Christmas Day?

We will all have to stay 'tooned on that!

 

Unexpected and Disappointing

Second Post of the Day

Boy, howdy, call me disappointed. When I saw Breyer's 12 Days of Breyer advent calendar last summer when it first was advertised, I ordered mine then and there.

I have been waiting to open it since it arrived, carefully avoiding any posts on social media from those who had opened theirs early - I wanted to be surprised.

Taking away part of the surprise by putting big hints as to what was behind each door took the edge off my excitement big time.

As did having actual pictures on the back of the box. Okay, so now not only did I know all the colors that would be inside, but now I knew what three of the twelve pieces would be. It was easy peasy to match them up to the pictures on the front of the box, so no point in opening those doors.

The worst part was that, when I opened my box and slid out the calendar, some of the horses were loose and tumbled out onto my desk. Big reveal right then and there.

My plan had been to open a door a day as I have in the past and post the surprise that was inside here. 

Honestly, now I have no motivation to do so. 

This 12 Days of Christmas was a great idea on Breyer's part. And I understand that there are so many new collectors, Breyer felt a need to explain which iconic Breyers were being used, too. But for me, someone who was around when every one of those were bright, shiny, and new, the result was to remove any sense of surprise and anticipation.

What a big let down.

 

A New Advent Calendar

I love advent calendars. We had two of them when our kids were growing up.

Six kids for two calendars? That meant taking turns every day. We rotated through all the kids every three days and it worked out fine.

So, when Breyer began producing their advent calendars using Mini Whinnies as the prizes behind the doors, I was all over that. I didn't (and don't) collect Mini Whinnies, but I could not resist having a new horsey advent calendar. I even bought the unicorn version and I really dislike unicorns!

Earlier this year Breyer announced that there would be a Twelve Days of Christmas advent calendar. As soon as dealers were taking orders, I ordered mine. It arrived a few days ago.

I haven't opened the box yet as I did not want to spoil any possible surprises, but I did put a note on my calendar to begin opening doors on December 12.

Retro colors of woodgrain, charcoal, and splatter grey are being used and it sounds as though the Appaloosa Performance Horse, Fighting Stallion, and Starlight will be behind a door. The last piece is a gambler's choice of five Breyer vintage decorator colors. 

I'm wondering about that - gold charm, florentine, wedgewood, and copenhagen are the original vintage decorator colors. Is the fifth a charcoal? Some collectors lump that in as a decorator color. Maybe silver filigree? To me, that's a more recent color and not vintage. Woodgrain was already listed and shown, so I think that can be eliminated.

Guess I'll find out Christmas Eve!

Stay 'tooned!

Christmas Horse & Calendar Reveal - Day 15

First Post of the Day

Christmas Horse of the Day

Kohl, Breyer's second piece in the Pony for Christmas series. (Catch the pun on her name? Kohl/Coal?)

Produced in 2022, she has a shiny, satin candy cane colored blanket

and red, green, and white ribbons on her braids.

I love everything about this piece!

Advent Calendar Reveal - Day 15

The Running Thoroughbred Stallion.

He's a pretty black with a bright white star on his head.

More tomorrow, so stay 'tooned.

Christmas Horse & Calendar Reveal - Day 14

 First Post of the Day

Christmas Horse of the Day

Gingerbread with Holiday Blanket, 2021. He was a website Limited Edition and came with his own special gift box. First in what has become the A Pony for Christmas series.

Go here to read more about him and to find my own favorite gingerbread recipe! (I'm making it for a friends holiday gathering tomorrow.)

Advent Calendar Reveal - Day 14

A set of stable tools for cleaning the barn and mucking out stalls!

 

Daily Reveals - Day 12

First Post of the Day

Because doing both a daily Christmas Horse and an advent calendar reveal takes a lot of time and written space, I am going to try separating them out from my daily blog post. That means two blog posts for the day readers, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

I'll give it a try and see how it goes.

Christmas Horse of the Day

Christoff, blue clearware with purple accents and silver snowflakes, was the 2020 Holiday Web Special on the Show Arabian Mare mold.

St. Moritz and Christoff are nice companion pieces. I often have both these pieces out as part of my winter decor.

Advent Calendar Reveal - Day 12

I saw this meme on social media - made me smile!

Today's reveal is the Thoroughbred Jumping Stallion with stand.

He has a very pretty buckskin coat.

And he sets up nicely on the jump that was yesterday's reveal.

Another post is coming soon this morning. And, it has information about the December Give Away.

Stay 'tooned!

My Quirky Brahma Bull

After doing a lot of research as well as taking pictures of places I usually don't look at too closely, I have determined that my Brahma bull is not a B Stamper.

Having Nancy Atkinson Young's book with its incredibly detailed text to refer to (over and over and OVER) was a real boon, but it took a lot of time to come to the conclusion the my bull is simply an ordinary (and nice) Brahma. 

Having a woodgrain Brahma for comparison was also helpful, although that piece was way too early to have the B stamp. 

My grey bull was heavily glossed and had remnants of Breyer's drainboard - also indicators that the piece was produced well before the B stamp era.

The Brahma Bull had five B stamps - one on each horn, one inside each hind leg, and one in the scrotal area. The circle on this horn is a mark from a molding pin and not associated with the B stamp. 

It was while looking for that fifth B in that very personal spot that I discovered that my grey Brahma, while not a B stamper, was still an anomaly.

His daddy parts are on backwards. 

Or maybe it's the woodgrain bull's whose were attached incorrectly. I'm not sure which, and I have no more Brahmas to check, but they face two different directions.

Like the horns, they were molded separately and then added to the model. Nancy mentions in her book that she has seen a bull with the parts on backwards and that some bulls are steers, never having gotten that finishing touch!

An odd way to close the B Stamp series, but there ya go!

Christmas Horse of the Day

This is the 2004 Breyer Collector Club Holiday 2004 Special Edition. (There's a mouthful for you!) 1500 sets were made, with 375 pieces each of the Belgian in silver, gold, blue, or sugar (pink) plum.

The Saddlebreds are named "Mini-Fanfare" after the 2000 JAH Subscriber Special done on the Missouri Fox Trotter who was called "Fanfare" and was to celebrate Breyer's 50th anniversary.

Screenshot from Identify Your Breyer.

Advent Calendar Reveal - Day 10

The Cantering Tennessee Walking Horse Gelding.

It's a very dark, almost red palomino color.

I've added him to the scene as a runaway. Had to make use of that articulated gate!

Almost Done

The jokes and memes have begun flying among our family members - having a big family gathering is fun but it's also quite an undertaking and my kids like to poke fun at that.  (Craig and I are right in there with them!)

Here is a screenshot from a tongue in cheek video that Sarah just sent the family that was taken inside her kitchen pantry. In it, Sarah said, 

"Just over here preparing for the Isenbarger Christmas."

You can't see it all, but there are 20 cans of frosting and 24 boxes of candy canes. She laughed at the end of the video, and I honestly don't think she's bringing all that here, but... She works with the teens at her church and I suspect she's putting together an activity of some sort. (Although it's very possible she might bring what is left over.)

Our tree isn't up yet (tomorrow's project) nor is my mother's Nativity but we will be ready decor-wise when those are completed. (Oops, forgot about hanging the stockings.)

Not the best picture due to the late afternoon lighting, but I finished the staircase greenery. Honestly, that's one of my most favorite decorations. It really makes our home look festive.

I'm done sorting out the ornaments that we will put onto the tree. We have tubs and tubs of ornaments, but I am putting out those that I know are the most meaningful to our family.

Like this set of Rudolph ornaments. Only they were not ornaments - they were zipper pulls!

My kids love Rudolph and during our lean years I couldn't afford beautifully made Rudolph ornaments even in the Christmas section of Kmart. But, I sure could afford this set of Rudolph rubber zipper pulls and convert them into ornaments! 

Even better, they were unbreakable due to the rubber (which has made them last over the years) and there are 12 of them - two per child! Win-win for the Isenbarger clan!

I've also sorted out the stockings into family groups. My mom made the knitted ones and I made the fabric ones. I wanted to be sure we had enough for all who are spending Christmas with us this year.

Good thing I checked - I am four short and so I have some fabric sitting on the sewing table waiting for me to turn them into stockings before Christmas Eve.

I had an epiphany while going through Grandma Honeywell's ornaments. They are around 100 years old and were used during my mother's childhood.

Grandma always vented her cherry pies with this design and I do the same. But I never knew where that particular pattern came from, and neither did my mother but we used it because Grandma did.

While I looked at those old beauties in their boxes, thinking I'd choose one to go on this year's tree, I spied this pair:

Oh, my goodness. I think I just discovered where Grandma got her pattern.

My heart turned to mush and I got a little teary. Gently I tucked those two ornaments safely back into their box. Maybe next year I'll put one of them on the tree, but not this year. 

Speaking of ornaments that are old and precious, my childhood favorite is currently out and hanging in a safe corner. I'll take it down when our family begins arriving but we will enjoy it in the meantime.

My sister Leslie sent me a photo from one of our childhood Christmases, and look what I spied!

There it is, about 60 years ago in the 1960s hanging on our tree! It truly is a treasure. (How about those mid century modern drapes??)

Christmas Horse of the Day

Neva, a 2022 Holiday Web Special. I like that midnight blue contrasted with the white and silver, and the snowmen peeking out.  

Advent Calendar Reveal - Day 9

The Trotting Morgan Stallion in a pretty blue roan.

I'm procrastinating making a scene because I have to lift the calendar box over the scene each day to open a window, and it's very easy to knock pieces over when I do. And as more pieces are out, the easier it is for me to tip them over when I set a new piece into the scene. But I'll get it started later today or tomorrow.